Bottle-stopper



A. G. SHERMAN.

BOTTLE STOPPER. APPLICATION FILED ocr. 11. 1919.

" 375 71 Patented Apr.19,1921.

wie

ARTI-TUR e. SHERMAN, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Specicaton of lLetters Patent. y

. A kApplication filed October 17, 1919. Serial No. 331,460.

This invention relates to bottle Stoppers,

and more particularly to stoppers for bottles containing vaccine serums or other medical preparations designed to be administered' hypodermically by means of a needle.'Y

It is the obj ect of the invention to provide a bottle stopper adapted to beV inserted permanently in the mouth of a bottle after the latterY has been lled, said stopper being formed either wholly or in part of an elastic material such as soft rubber which may readily be pierced by a hypodermic lneedle to permit withdrawal of the contents of the bottle, and which will leave no opening when the needle is withdrawn.

To so form such a stopper'that it will wedge very firmly in the neck of a bottle, and consequently resist the tendency to shift as the needle is thrust through it or withdrawn, is a further object of the invention.V

In attaining these and various other ob jects the invention contemplates the con-V struction described in the following speciication and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure l is a view in side elevation of -a bottle to which the improved stopper is applied.

Fig. 2 is an aXial sectional view of the same, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l. f l

Fig.v 3 is a sectional view showing the shape of the stopper prior to insertion of the same in the bottle.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a side and top View of the stopper.

In these views the reference character l designates a bottle, 2 the neck thereof, and` Y 3 a stopper insertible in the mouth of said bottle. Said stopper is of frusto-conical shape and formed of medium hard rubber or like material, capable of being subjected to a considerable degree of compression upon in-k sertion in the neck of the bottle. The smaller or top end of said stopper is provided with a cap portion 4 of soft rubber or like freely yieldable material secured to the main bodyof the stopper by vulcanizing, cementing, or in any other suitable manner. A recess 5 is extended centrally of the stopper, from the larger end Vthereof, to cap portion,

Patented vApr-L19, Y1921- ,I

said recess having a tapercorresponding to n that of theexterior surface Vofthe stopper. When the stopper has been forced into the neck 2 as shown in Fig. 3, the resulting-V compression of the elastic material reduces both the outer-face ofthe stopper and the recess 5 to cylindrical formi. The inventionV lis completed by a pad of absorbent material 6 surmounting the cap portion 4 and secured thereto, andthe metal cap 7 flanged toemi y Y brace the mouth portion ofthe bottle, and

having the clamping ring 8 and member 9 v for applying clamping pressure tosaid ring.

The advantage of thefdescribed construction lies in the fact that the contents of theV bottle 1 maybe withdrawn through a hypodermic needle inserted through the relatively soft cap portion 4 of the stopper and through the recess 5 without necessity for removing the' stopper from the neck of the bottle. The slight `opening formed in said cap portion by piercing the samewith the` needle is immediately closed when the needle is withdrawn, owing to the elasticity of the material forming said portion, so that the possibility of the contents of the bottle being contaminated by dust or dirt is practically eliminated. Byl forming the main body portion of the stopper of rubber of only medium softnessY and providing a central passage therethrough extending to the relatively soft cap portion 4, a Vfirm anchorage for said portion 4 is assured, vso that it may undergo no displacement, either into or out of the bottle. The recess 5 gives passage to the hypodermic needle after the same has pierced Y *I the `portion 4 and furthermore decreases somewhat the resistance offered by the stopper to the compression which it must undergo as it is thrust into thev neck of the bottle;

The frusto-conical shape of the stopper is l of importance, since it insures .a definite amount of compression being placed upon the stopper as it is inserted to its position of use, and this amount may be predetermined to linsure against longitudinal shifting of the stopper.

Y The pad 6 may be antiseptically' treatedl so that Contact of the needle therewith, while being thrust into the bottle, will haveV a germicidal effect. Thecap 7 forms a final seal, and a protection `for the stopper when the lbottle is not in use.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a bottle for ref' y ceiving hypoderinic solutions, said 'bottle having a neck portiornpf a stopper inserted in said neck portion, formed of elastic material and having a central opening eine tending therethrough for a major portion ofitslength51-and having integralgtherewith a portion of relatively soft elastic material ment in the bottle `10 subjected to compression thronghconfine- The combination vfithaybottle for re# ceiving""`l1ypode`rinic fsoliitions,l said bottle havinga cylindrical "neck portion, of a normally `friisto-conical bottlestopper inserted in saidneek portion,` with` its larger endinnerinost,` andcompre"seed` to "cylindrical forni by such insertion,"th`e onterlend of said stopper having a capfportion of softer elastic material, and `an opening fbeing 'extended centrally of the stopper from its innerend i `Iieck` normally closceiving hypodermic solutions, said bottle having agneck portion, of a stopper inserted Within said neck portion and comprising `fan elastic body portion having a central passage therethrough, and a can portion formed of "relatively soft elastic` material directly securedwto said body portion and closing saidpassage,v acompression of both ofsaid elastic portions being eected by y 4. lThe"lcombination''with a bottle for re ceiving a hypodermic solution, said bottle having a neckportion, of a stopper engaged in said neck portion and forming a perina-` nent closure for the boittle `said! stopper having a central passage, and a puncturable o v self-healing` cap inember formed of elastic material directly secured to one end vof the stopper and subjected to compression by engagement of Vthe stopper in the bottle neck.

111 testimony whereof I sign this specifi- AR'ri-IUR eg' SHERMAN;

cation. 

